Redemption

Sunday PM                                                                                               March 25, 2007

River Dance

Pray for Worship

Worship

REDEMPTION

Ephesians 1:7-14

God’s Redemption in Christ (7-12)

1.                Redemption

Release or deliverance from a state of slavery.

          This REDEMPTION is from sin,

                    and thus this work of Christ delivers us from the slavery of sin.

                             This is further defined by the FORGIVENESS OF SINS.

          Which is the immediate result of our release from sin’s hold.

God does not treat sin lightly for it requires the sacrifice of blood.    

          Turn to Hebrews 9:22 page 1793

This means that REDEMPTION is the sacrificial substitute death of Christ,

          which completely satisfied God’s justice.

This was accomplished in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

The cost of Christ’s blood is the measure of the wealth of God’s unmerited favor to every believer.

It was accomplished not “out of” but “according to”

          the wealth of His grace.

God’s grace is given to enable us to understand His will.

          God gives us wisdom,

                   objective insight into the true nature of God’s revelation,

                             and understanding.

So we are able to grasp something of the divine purpose of the ages and to see its importance in this present time.

This is accomplished because God made known to us the mystery of His will.

          “Mystery” is a previously hidden truth unveiled by God’s revelation.

          This mystery is God’s good pleasure to purpose in Christ to bring all

          things in heaven and on earth under His headship in the completion of

          time.

The words to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment are literally,

          “unto the dispensation of the fullness of the times.”

This dispensation is the millennial kingdom when “the times” in God’s purposes will be completed, fulfilled.

All things both spiritual and material will be under Christ and His rule.

Christ has set us free from our sin and has revealed His will that all things will be

Headed up in Christ at the end of the ages.

God’s Seal with the Spirit (13-14)

1.                God’s spiritual blessings for us is based not only on the sovereign

choice of the Father and the redemptive work of the Son,

                   but also on the SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The last part of verse 13 is literally, “they were sealed in Him [Christ] with the Holy Spirit of promises.”

The word “SEAL” indicates security,

confirmation and approval,

                   guarantee of genuineness,

                             and identification of ownership.

God is the One who SEALS

          Christ is the part, in which the “SEAL” is done,

                   the Holy Spirit is the instrument of the SEAL.

“The promised Holy Spirit” refers to Christ’s promise to His disciples

that He would send the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit who SEALS is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.

          The “deposit” is more than a pledge which can be returned;

                   it is a down payment with a guarantee of more to come.

It guarantees us “inheritance” of salvation and heaven.

In real meaning, the “deposit” of the Holy Spirit is a little bit of heaven in our

          lives with a guarantee of much more to come.

                    We are SEALED with the Holy Spirit until the redemption of those who are

                              God’s possession.

          This REDEMPTION is not a release from the guilt of our sin.

                   Ephesians 1:7 (read)

          We are already “God’s possession.”

          Instead, this is our ultimate, final release from the presence of sin.

Again to the praise of His glory

          This is repeated here as it was after the description of the work

of the Father and the Son.

Communion        I Corinthians 11:23-26

Closing Prayer